The UK has the highest rates of homelessness in the developed world, with a significant increase over the past 14 years, particularly in the West Midlands. Alongside the physical, emotional and psychological impact it has on the individual, homelessness creates a substantial financial burden on local authorities, with Birmingham having the highest temporary accommodation expenses … Continue reading “Britain the ‘World’s Worst on Homelessness’ – What About the West Midlands?”
Author: Matt Lyons
Megatrends in the Midlands 2023
Megatrends are an issue that City-REDI has written about previously. We have a fantastic podcast series which is well worth a listen to and a 2021 report focussing on the West Midlands. This latest blog is written to coincide with a new report produced by City-REDI in collaboration with the Midlands Engine looking at Megatrends … Continue reading “Megatrends in the Midlands 2023”
Why are the Commonwealth Games struggling to find hosts?
July saw Ozzy the giant mechanical bull and symbol of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games unveiled in Birmingham New Street. The buzz about the station was high and served as a reminder of the success of last year’s Games. Almost at the same time we saw Victoria, Australia the planned hosts of the next Games in 2026 … Continue reading “Why are the Commonwealth Games struggling to find hosts?”
REDI Updates: What is the Cost-of-living Crisis?
The latest edition of REDI-Updates is out now – providing expert data insights and clear policy guidance. In this edition, the WMREDI team investigates what factors are contributing to the cost-of-living crisis and the impact it is having on households, businesses, public services and the third sector. We also look at how the crisis in … Continue reading “REDI Updates: What is the Cost-of-living Crisis?”
What Could the £4 billion Expansion of Childcare Support mean for the West Midlands Economy?
In the 2023 Spring Statement the UK Government announced plans to expand free childcare to children between 9 months and 2 years old. Matt Lyons and Abi Taylor investigate what this could mean for the West Midlands. The UK Government announced a £4bn childcare expansion policy in England. Key objectives of the policy include removing … Continue reading “What Could the £4 billion Expansion of Childcare Support mean for the West Midlands Economy?”
The Creative Sector Vision: What Does It Say and What Might It Mean for the West Midlands?
On Wednesday the UK Government released the Creative Sector Vision a highly anticipated update to creative policy. Dr Matt Lyons provides a summary of the document and some initial reflections on what it could mean for the region. The Creative Sector Vision published yesterday is the much-anticipated latest iteration of the UK Government’s policy for … Continue reading “The Creative Sector Vision: What Does It Say and What Might It Mean for the West Midlands?”
Regional Input-Output Group Meeting
se On the 26th of April, City-REDI hosted a gathering for those interested in the development and application of regional input-output (IO) techniques in the UK. Matt Lyons summarizes the papers shared and the discussions had about the shared challenges and opportunities for researchers in the field. It is an exciting time for an input-output … Continue reading “Regional Input-Output Group Meeting”
Qatar World Cup 2022: Counting the Cost of the Beautiful Game
With the Qatar World Cup just underway, Matt Lyons takes a look at the costs of the megaevent for Qatar, and what the potential benefits might be for the host country. The Qatar World Cup kicked off (sorry) yesterday and an estimated 1.2 million visitors will visit the first Middle East nation to host the … Continue reading “Qatar World Cup 2022: Counting the Cost of the Beautiful Game”
An Early Assessment of the Economic Impact of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games
Dr Matt Lyons provides an early assessment of the economic impact of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games have kicked off in Birmingham and the buzz about the city has been infectious. Spectators have flocked to events to see elite athletes compete and/or to see the supporting art exhibits like the giant mechanical … Continue reading “An Early Assessment of the Economic Impact of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games”
The Wider Impacts of Cutting 91,000 Civil Service Jobs
The Government had recently proposed a cut in Civil Services jobs in an attempt to save £3.5 billion. Dr Matthew Lyons and Professor Anne Green consider the regional economic impact of the proposed cut of 91,000 civil servants and its consequences for levelling up. Introduction The civil service has been in the spotlight of UK … Continue reading “The Wider Impacts of Cutting 91,000 Civil Service Jobs”